Most utility poles used today made of wood. Such wooden poles are pressure treated to preserve them from the weather, insects and other types of attacks and decay. Specifically, they are treated with a number of toxic chemicals including pentachlorphenol, chromated copper arsenate, creosote, copper azole and others. Pentachlorophenol (Penta) is widely-used wood preservative that is normally dissolved in a petroleum carrier. It is the most commonly used preservative system utilized by North American utilities. Chromated Copper Arsenate (CCA) is water-borne treatment that offers a wide range of advantages for treated lumber, timber and poles; clean; odorless; paintable. For poles, its use is limited to southern yellow pine, pinus sylvestris, and western red cedar. Creosote is an oil-based wood preservative blended from the distillation of coal tar and comprised of more than 200 major constituents. Used in industrial applications, such as railroad ties, piling (both salt water and fresh water), and for utility poles. Copper Azole (CA-B) is a water-borne copper based wood preservative with an organic co-biocide (Tebuconazol). Similar in color, to CCA-C, odorless, clean, paintable or stainable. Copper Azole is approved by the American Wood Preservers Association for use on Western Red Cedar and Southern Yellow Pine utility poles. These chemicals that are harmful to the environment, and poisonous (e.g. arsenic, etc.) to humans and animals and have been shown in some instance to cause cancers. Another problem is that even with pressure treating the wood, wooden utility poles have to be replaced about every ten years. Another problem is that wooden utility poles are not aesthetically pleasing to look and are typically all a brown or black color.
It would instead be desirable to produce utility poles that do not require the above described chemical treatments. Ideally, it would be desired to provide a utility pole that does not require any of the standard chemical treatments since these chemicals listed above are all somewhat environmentally unfriendly.
There are several additional problems associated with using standard wooden utility poles. One problem is that wooden utility poles are heavy and bulky and hard to move and install.
What is instead desired is a new form of utility pole that addresses and overcomes all of these limitations, yet is still sturdy and long lasting.